81 



DOTTED MACKAREL. 



Scovther imndatus, Natural History SocraxY of Penzance. 



Ecport for the year 1849, p. 353. 

 " " "Zoologist" for 1849, No, 76, 



" " Sir John Richardson; Supplement to 



Yarrell's British Fishes, p. 12. 



The first published account of this fish is contained in the 

 ''Report of the Natural History Society of Penzance," as 

 quoted above, and which was copied into the ^'Zoologist;" and 

 as nothing relating to it has since come to my knowledge, I 

 shall best serve the cause of science by extracting from that 

 account its most material portion. Our figure is from the 

 original drawing, as taken when the fish was fresh from its 

 native element. 



It was caught in a scan at Looe, in Cornwall, July 6th., 

 1848; and I owe the possession of it to the kindness of my 

 late friend Mr. Clement Jackson, of that jilace. The length 

 was fifteen iiiches and a half, and the general proportions were 

 those of the Common Mackarel, but the jaws were more 

 decidedly of equal length. The more minute differences Avill 

 be pointed out at the conclusion of this description. The first 

 thing which attracted attention, in comparison with a Common 

 Mackarel which lay beside it, were the scales, which covered 

 the surface of the sides and belly, where none at all appear 

 in the common species. These scales were conspicuous, and 

 appeared to be marked out by the crossing of minute lines 

 running transversely, and their rounded edges appeared as 

 if directed forward. There was no corslet, but above the 

 pectoral fin there was some appearance of it in a line of denser 

 scales, which vanished under the pectoral fin. The first and 

 second dorsal fins Avere three inches apart, and the posterior 

 edge of the former was more extended backward, and the 

 VOL. II. M 



